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National Javelin Day 2024: Celebrating India’s Historic Gold Medal win in Athletics

On August 7, 2020, Neeraj Chopra made history by winning India's first Olympic gold medal in track and field with a remarkable throw of 87.58m throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. AFI designated August 7 as Javelin Throw Day, to be celebrated annually starting in 2021. To commemorate Neeraj Chopra's milestone, javelin throw competitions are organized in all states and union territories. Neeraj's historic javelin throw of 87.58m not only secured the gold medal but also made him the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold after Abhinav Bindra. The men's world record for javelin throw is 98.48m, set by Jan Zelezny in 1996.

PM Marks 5 Years of Abrogation of Articles 370 and 35(A) as a Transformative Decision.

PM Modi marked the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35(A) as a transformative decision to fully integrate Jammu and Kashmir into the Indian Constitution, enhancing the security, dignity, and development of the Union Territory. Modi described the abrogation as “a watershed moment” that marks the beginning of a new era for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. On August 5, 2019, the Parliament of India repealed Articles 370 and 35(A), which previously granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in it being reorganised into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Lt Col Kabilan Sai Ashok becomes India’s Youngest Boxing Referee At Paris Olympics 2024

Lt Col. Ashok, a serving Indian Army officer, becomes the youngest Olympic boxing referee from India at the Paris Olympics 2024. According to the Ministry of Defence, 24 armed forces personnel are part of the Indian contingent of 117 athletes at the Olympics, including Ritika Hooda, Bronze medalist at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023, and Jaismine Lamboria, Commonwealth Games 2022 Bronze medalist, the two women service personnel competing at the Paris Olympics.

India Ranks as the World's Second Largest Aluminium Producer

India has established itself as a global leader in mineral production, achieving high rankings across several key minerals. India has become the 2nd largest aluminium producer, 3rd largest lime producer, and 4th largest iron ore producer in the world. These rankings demonstrate India’s notable contribution to the global mineral industry and its immense growth in the mineral sector. 

World Breastfeeding Week 2024 - August 1st to 7th

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year on the first of August from the 1st to the 7th. Throughout the week international and local organizations promote the importance of breastfeeding for both newborns and mothers. The campaign advocates for women’s rights to breastfeed their babies anytime and anywhere. This year's theme for World Breastfeeding Week is “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all,” emphasizing the need to improve breastfeeding support as a critical action for reducing health inequity and protecting the rights of mothers and babies to survive and thrive.

India Hosts Unprecedented 46th World Heritage Committee Meeting

India has proudly hosted the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee Meeting for the first time at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from 21st to 31st July 2024. The 46th WHC was inaugurated by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi who announced a $1 million grant to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in line with his vision of “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi”. Moidams from Assam became India’s 43rd World Heritage Site, marking a significant milestone as the first cultural site from Assam to receive this recognition. 

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran

Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh has been assassinated in Iran’s capital, Tehran. Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after the building where they were staying was struck. Haniyeh, who led Hamas’s political operations from exile in Qatar, was in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on July 30. Amid the Israel-Gaza war, Haniyeh acted as a negotiator in the ceasefire talks. The military wing of Hamas is led by Yahya Sinwar, believed to be the mastermind of the October 7 attack on Israel that ignited the war in Gaza. Haniyeh was named a “specially designated global terrorist” by the United States.

Jiya Rai: Youngest & Fastest Para-Swimmer to Cross the English Channel

Jiya Rai, a 16-year-old from Mumbai, has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest and fastest para-swimmer to cross the English Channel. Despite suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jiya completed the 34-kilometer swim from Abbot's Cliff in England to Pointe de la Courte-Dune in France in 17 hours and 25 minutes on July 28-29, 2024. Jiya also holds the record for the youngest and fastest swimmer to cross the Palk Strait, a 29-kilometer stretch from Talaimannar, Sri Lanka, to Dhanuskodi, India. She completed this feat in 13 hours and 10 minutes on March 20, 2022. The English Channel separates the southern coast of England from the northern coast of France. 
 

Bihar Passes Anti-Paper Leak Bill with 10-year imprisonment for malpractices in government Exams.

The Bihar Assembly passed the Anti-Paper Leak Bill on July 24, 2024, with the aim of addressing malpractices in government recruitment exams. The bill was presented by the State Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and includes stringent sanctions, such as a minimum 10-year prison sentence and a fine of at least ₹1 crore. Furthermore, the bill designates any manipulation of government exams as a non-bailable offense and includes provisions for the seizure of assets belonging to those found guilty.

Madhya Pradesh Awarded for Best Performing State in PM SVANidhi Scheme

Madhya Pradesh has been recognized as the "Best Performing State" under the PM SVANidhi scheme for effectively supporting urban street vendors with collateral-free loans. The scheme provides micro-credit to street vendors in urban areas with collateral-free loans up to ₹50,000 and was launched in June 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Assam secured the second position in the "Best Performing States – Innovation and Best Practices Award" category.

BLUE Screen of Death - Microsoft Windows Screen Error!

Microsoft Windows 10 users are facing widespread outages due to a CrowdStrike update, causing their PCs to be stuck on the recovery screen. This issue has affected Airports, companies, banks, and government offices worldwide. The "blue screen of death" (BSoD) is a critical error screen displayed by Windows, caused by hardware failures, issues with device drivers, or unexpected termination of a crucial process or thread.

Chandipura Virus Confirmed in Gujarat following the death of a 4-year-old child.

The Chandipura virus has caused the first confirmed death of a four-year-old child in Gujarat. In the past two weeks, 14 people have died from the CHPV infection and there are currently 26 active cases. The confirmation came from the National Institute of Virology in Pune. The virus, transmitted primarily by sandflies and mosquitoes, starts with flu-like symptoms and can quickly lead to altered consciousness, seizures, and encephalitis, potentially resulting in death within 24-48 hours of hospitalization. The first identification of CHPV infection was in 1965 in Maharashtra.

NASA Sent Missy Elliott's song "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" to Venus, Marked History.

NASA made history by transmitting Missy Elliott's song "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" to Venus via the Deep Space Network, marking the first time a hip-hop song has been sent into deep space. The song covered 158 million miles to Venus, taking approximately 14 minutes to reach its destination.

NEET 2024: Exam Date 5/5/2024 - Question Paper and Answer Key

Indian prime minister to visit Greece in 40 years.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a landmark visit to Greece, marking a significant diplomatic milestone as he became the first Indian Prime Minister to set foot in the country in 40 years. This visit is aimed at fortifying the bilateral relationship between India and Greece, and it comes at the invitation of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar”

The Government of India, in association with State Governments, is launching an ‘Invoice incentive Scheme’ by the name ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar’ to encourage the culture of customers asking for invoices/bills for all purchases.

• The Scheme will be launched on 1st September, 2023.This scheme will initially be launched as a pilot in the States of Assam, Gujarat & Haryana and UTs of Puducherry, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
• All residents of India will be eligible to participate in this Scheme irrespective of their State/UT. Maximum 25 invoices can be uploaded by an individual on App/web portal in a month to be considered for lucky draw.
• For each uploaded invoice an Acknowledgement Reference Number (ARN) will be generated which will be used for the draw of prizes.

Kerala’s First AI School Launched In Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala introduces its first AI school situated at Santhigiri Vidyabhavan in Thiruvananthapuram. It was inaugurated by the Former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. This inaugural ceremony heralded the inception of a fresh era in the educational domain, distinguished by innovative technology and forward-looking pedagogical methods.

CSIR has launched a unique 'One Week One Lab' program.

CSIR has launched a unique 'One Week One Lab' (OWOL) program with the objective of uniquely showcasing the scientific and technological linkages of the laboratories to different strata of the society. It was launched by the Union Minister of State for Science & Technology (Independent Charge), Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space.

Sports Minister inaugurates 33 Khelo India Centres across Rajasthan

The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated 33 Khelo India Centres in the State of Rajasthan.

 Khelo India scheme as well as the Target Olympic Podium scheme has resulted in the highest number of medals internationally over the last few years, be it in Olympics or Paralympics or Commonwealth Games or a historic event like a Thomas Cup win. Antim Panghal too created history by becoming U20 wrestling world champion twice. 

First-ever WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat

The First WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit will be held on 17 - 18 August 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. The summit will explore the potential benefits of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine in addressing global health challenges. It will be co-hosted by WHO and the Government of India, which holds the presidency of the G20 in 2023. The summit will be a platform for all stakeholders, including traditional medicine workers, users and communities, national policymakers, international organizations, academics, private sector and civil society organizations to share best practices and game-changing evidence, data and innovation on the contribution of traditional medicine to health and sustainable development.

Indian-American economist Raj Chetty awarded top Harvard University prize

Raj Chetty, an Indian-American economist, and Michael Springer, a biologist, have been awarded Harvard University’s George Ledlie Prize for their groundbreaking work in their respective fields.

Mr Chetty, Professor of Economics at Harvard University is also director of Opportunity Insights, a group of economists based at Harvard who study inequality.His research has shown that the American Dream is not as attainable as many people believe, and significant obstacles prevent people from achieving upward mobility.

Biologist Michael Springer, professor of systems biology at Harvard Medical School, who created a better, faster COVID test system to help deal with the spread of COVID, was also honoured with the coveted Harvard University's George Ledlie Prize. Springer also helped design and operate the new Harvard University Clinical Laboratory (HUCL), which managed testing and samples.

World Ranger Day 2023

World Ranger Day is celebrated worldwide on July 31st to commemorate Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty and to celebrate the work Rangers do to protect the planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage.

The 2023 World Ranger Day theme is ’30 by 30‘ based on the 2022 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), where a Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed upon by world leaders and decision-makers. Target 3 outlined a requirement that at least 30 per cent of the planet is effectively conserved and managed by 2030 ’30 by 30’.

ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) mobile application.

The ULLAS mobile application marks a significant milestone in harnessing the potential of technology to facilitate widespread access to basic literacy. This user-friendly and interactive app available both on android and ios and will serve as a digital gateway for learners to engage in diverse learning resources through the DIKSHA portal of NCERT. The ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative is poised to revolutionise education and literacy across the nation, by fostering a learning ecosystem that reaches every individual, bridging the gaps in basic literacy and critical lifeskills. It imparts basic education, digital and financial literacy and critical life skills to citizens aged 15 and above who lost on the opportunity to go to school. It is being implemented through volunteerism.

International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre - ‘Bharat Mandapam’

International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The name – Bharat Mandapam – derives its root from Lord Basaveshwara’s idea of Anubhav Mandapam, which was a pavilion for public ceremonies. This complex will be available for all people and will have all the facilities to help the country achieve the goal of making a developed and modern nation.

World Hepatitis Day 2023

World Hepatitis Day is observed on July 28th annually. Hepatitis virus has five commonly known strains: Type A, B, C, D, E. All of them affect the liver. The urgency of this awareness drive stems from the alarming statistics that indicate someone dies from hepatitis or related conditions every 30 seconds globally. 

The theme of World Hepatitis Day 

‘one life, one liver’